In this fictional conversation, Nour recommends the invented town of Al-Marjan to Salma. Notice how the plan changes to suit a shorter visit and different interests.
01Read the Arabic conversation
تَوْصِيَةٌ بِزِيَارَةِ بَلْدَةٍ
سَلْمَى: أُرِيدُ زِيَارَةَ بَلْدَةٍ هَادِئَةٍ خِلَالَ إِجَازَتِي الْقَصِيرَةِ. هَلْ أَعْجَبَتْكِ بَلْدَةُ الْمَرْجَانِ الَّتِي زُرْتِهَا؟
نُورٌ: نَعَمْ، قَضَيْتُ فِيهَا يَوْمَيْنِ. أَعْجَبَتْنِي الْبُيُوتُ الْقَدِيمَةُ، لَكِنَّ اخْتِيَارَ الْأَنْشِطَةِ يَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى مَا تُحِبِّينَهُ.
سَلْمَى: أُحِبُّ الْمَشْيَ الْهَادِئَ وَالْكُتُبَ، وَلَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقْضِيَ وَقْتِي كُلَّهُ فِي التَّسَوُّقِ.
نُورٌ: إِذَنْ قَدْ يُعْجِبُكِ مَسَارُ الْبُيُوتِ الْقَدِيمَةِ. مَشَيْتُ فِيهِ بَعْدَ الْغَدَاءِ، وَوَجَدْتُ مَقَاعِدَ لِلرَّاحَةِ.
سَلْمَى: هَلْ يَحْتَاجُ الْمَسَارُ إِلَى وَقْتٍ طَوِيلٍ؟ لَدَيَّ عَصْرٌ وَاحِدٌ فَقَطْ لِهَذِهِ الزِّيَارَةِ.
نُورٌ: مَشَيْتُ الْمَسَارَ كُلَّهُ فِي سَاعَةٍ تَقْرِيبًا، وَلَكِنَّنِي تَوَقَّفْتُ كَثِيرًا لِأَنْظُرَ إِلَى النَّوَافِذِ الْمُلَوَّنَةِ.
سَلْمَى: وَهَلْ فِيهِ صُعُودٌ كَثِيرٌ؟ أُفَضِّلُ طَرِيقًا مُسْتَوِيًا حَتَّى أَسْتَمْتِعَ بِالْمَشْيِ دُونَ تَعَبٍ كَبِيرٍ.
نُورٌ: الْجُزْءُ الْقَرِيبُ مِنَ السَّاحَةِ مُسْتَوٍ، أَمَّا الْجُزْءُ الْأَخِيرُ فَفِيهِ دَرَجٌ. يُمْكِنُكِ تَرْكُهُ وَالْعَوْدَةُ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ نَفْسِهِ.
سَلْمَى: هَذَا يُنَاسِبُنِي. وَأَيْنَ وَجَدْتِ مَكَانًا جَمِيلًا لِلْقِرَاءَةِ بَعْدَ أَنْ اِنْتَهَيْتِ مِنَ الْمَشْيِ؟
نُورٌ: جَلَسْتُ فِي مَقْهًى صَغِيرٍ أَمَامَ الْمَكْتَبَةِ. كَانَ هَادِئًا يَوْمَ زِيَارَتِي، وَحَمَلْتُ مَعِي كِتَابِي.
سَلْمَى: هَلْ تَنْصَحِينَنِي بِزِيَارَةِ السُّوقِ أَيْضًا، أَمْ أَكْتَفِي بِالْمَشْيِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ؟
نُورٌ: أَحْبَبْتُ السُّوقَ لِأَنَّنِي أَهْتَمُّ بِالْفَخَّارِ، لَكِنَّهُ كَانَ مُزْدَحِمًا. قَدْ لَا يَكُونُ أَفْضَلَ اخْتِيَارٍ لَكِ.
سَلْمَى: صَحِيحٌ، أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الرَّاحَةِ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ التَّسَوُّقِ. هَلْ حَضَرْتِ نَشَاطًا آخَرَ أَثْنَاءَ زِيَارَتِكِ؟
نُورٌ: حَضَرْتُ وَرْشَةً لِصِنَاعَةِ الْفَخَّارِ، لَكِنَّهَا اِسْتَغْرَقَتْ عَصْرًا كَامِلًا. لِذَلِكَ لَا أَقْتَرِحُهَا لِزِيَارَتِكِ الْقَصِيرَةِ.
سَلْمَى: إِذَنْ سَأَخْتَارُ الْجُزْءَ الْمُسْتَوِيَ مِنَ الْمَسَارِ، ثُمَّ أَجْلِسُ لِلْقِرَاءَةِ إِذَا وَجَدْتُ مَكَانًا هَادِئًا.
نُورٌ: خُطَّةٌ مُنَاسِبَةٌ. وَلَا تَفْتَرِضِي أَنَّ الْمَقْهَى سَيَكُونُ هَادِئًا دَائِمًا؛ فَأَنَا أَصِفُ تَجْرِبَتِي فَقَطْ.
سَلْمَى: سَأَحْمِلُ كِتَابًا صَغِيرًا، وَأَخْتَارُ الْمَكَانَ عِنْدَ الْوُصُولِ. هَلْ لَدَيْكِ رَسْمٌ بَسِيطٌ لِلْمَسَارِ؟
نُورٌ: نَعَمْ، وَسَأُشِيرُ فِيهِ إِلَى السَّاحَةِ وَبِدَايَةِ الدَّرَجِ، حَتَّى تَعْرِفِي أَيْنَ تَرْجِعِينَ.
سَلْمَى: شُكْرًا، فَقَدْ سَاعَدَتْنِي تَفَاصِيلُ تَجْرِبَتِكِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ قَوْلِ إِنَّ الْبَلْدَةَ جَمِيلَةٌ فَقَطْ.
نُورٌ: عَفْوًا، الْمُهِمُّ أَنْ تَخْتَارِي مَا يُنَاسِبُ وَقْتَكِ وَاهْتِمَامَاتِكِ، وَلَيْسَ أَنْ تُكَرِّرِي زِيَارَتِي نَفْسَهَا.
Show English translationHide English translation
Salma: I want to visit a quiet town during my short holiday. Did you like Al-Marjan, the town you visited?
Nour: Yes, I spent two days there. I liked the old houses, but the choice of activities depends on what you enjoy.
Salma: I like quiet walks and books, and I do not want to spend all my time shopping.
Nour: Then you might like the old houses route. I walked along it after lunch and found benches for resting.
Salma: Does the route take a long time? I have only one afternoon for this visit.
Nour: I walked the whole route in about an hour, but I stopped often to look at the colourful windows.
Salma: Does it involve much climbing? I prefer a level path so I can enjoy walking without getting too tired.
Nour: The part near the square is level, while the last part has steps. You can skip it and return the same way.
Salma: That suits me. Where did you find a pleasant place to read after you finished walking?
Nour: I sat in a small café in front of the library. It was quiet on the day I visited, and I had brought my book.
Salma: Do you also recommend visiting the market, or should I stick to walking and reading this time?
Nour: I liked the market because I am interested in pottery, but it was crowded. It may not be the best choice for you.
Salma: True, I need rest more than shopping. Did you attend another activity during your visit?
Nour: I attended a pottery workshop, but it took a whole afternoon. So I do not suggest it for your short visit.
Salma: Then I will choose the level part of the route and sit down to read if I find a quiet place.
Nour: A suitable plan. Do not assume the café will always be quiet; I am only describing my own experience.
Salma: I will take a small book and choose a place when I arrive. Do you have a simple sketch of the route?
Nour: Yes, and I will mark the square and the start of the steps on it so you know where to turn back.
Salma: Thank you. The details of your experience helped me more than simply saying that the town is beautiful.
Nour: You are welcome. What matters is choosing what suits your time and interests, not repeating my exact visit.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| مَسَارُ الْبُيُوتِ الْقَدِيمَةِ | the old houses route |
| مَقَاعِدَ لِلرَّاحَةِ | benches for resting |
| عَصْرٌ وَاحِدٌ | one afternoon |
| النَّوَافِذِ الْمُلَوَّنَةِ | the colourful windows |
| طَرِيقًا مُسْتَوِيًا | a level path |
| دَرَجٌ | steps |
| أَكْتَفِي | I stick to; I limit myself to |
| بِالْفَخَّارِ | in pottery |
| وَرْشَةً | a workshop |
| وَاهْتِمَامَاتِكِ | and your interests |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Describe what happened during your own visit and distinguish it from a guarantee.
- Adjust a recommendation to the listener’s available time, interests, and preferred walking route.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
“I Like” and “I Want” in Arabic: Two Useful Sentence Patterns
أُحِبُّ الْمَشْيَ الْهَادِئَ وَالْكُتُبَ
Use أُحِبُّ with a noun to name the interests that should shape a recommendation.
Arabic Time and Place Adverbs: Before, After, In Front and Behind
أَمَامَ الْمَكْتَبَةِ
Place أَمَامَ before a reference point to describe where a café is.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّنِي أَهْتَمُّ بِالْفَخَّارِ
Use لِأَنَّنِي to explain a personal preference without assuming the listener shares it.
